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Permanent Farmers’ Market To Set Up In Sabah

KOTA KINABALU – The Sabah branch of the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) plans to set up four Farmers’ Markets (Pasar Tani) permanently in the state to market their products directly to consumers.

“Kota Kinabalu has been allocated RM2 million for the farmers’ market in Asia City.

“The layout plan has been made and agreed by the management of Asia City. It has also obtained the approval of the Kota Kinabalu City Hall,” he said.

Yahya who is also the Sabah Agriculture and Food Industry Minister said this to reporters during his walkabout for the The National Price Reduction Campaign 2015 at the Asia City market, here today.

The campaign was launched by The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry on March 1.

Also accompanying Yahya during the walkabout was FAMA State Director Ribin Wahid.

The campaign is to curb food prices from rising at the market and offering savings for consumers between five to 20 per cent.

Yahya said the permanent Farmers’ Market project in Kota Kinabalu would be implemented at any time and he was confident it will bring benefits to traders and consumers as it would be operating everyday not once a week.

“The permanent Farmers’ Market will make it easy for consumers to get daily groceries, fresh fish and vegetables at low prices,” he said.

Meanwhile, Yahya said there are 39 farmers’ markets in Sabah presently with a total of 850 participants. Throughout last year, the sales value of goods sold at the farmers’ market was RM11 million.

On his walkabout, he said the Farmers’ Market offered a total 73 fresh agricultural products and the price was between five to 20 per cent lower compared to the traditional wet markets.

For example, red chillies were sold at RM7 per kg in the Farmers’ Market against RM12 in wet markets while regular size cabbage were sold at RM2 compared to RM3 at the wet markets, Yahya said. – BERNAMA